In the field of computer-implemented games, there are many technical challenges facing the designer of such games when considering how the user interface is to be controlled in the context of computer devices available to play the game.
One technical challenge can involve allowing a game to be fun and compelling even when there is limited display resource available, such as when a game is being played on a smartphone, tablet or other minicomputer. Another significant challenge is that of user engagement. Engagement involves designing gameplay to be engaging and rewarding to players. This typically requires games to be easily understood at their simplest or introductory levels, providing rewarding gameplay with quite simple game mechanics, but becoming progressively more challenging so that players are not bored, but remain engaged and develop rewarding skills. Effective engagement requires various forms of feedback to reinforce player sense of success and accomplishment.
An existing type of match-three game is a so-called “switcher” game. A match-three game is a type of casual puzzle game where the player is required to find patterns on a seemingly chaotic board. The player then has to match three or more of the same type of game element on the game board and those matched elements will then disappear. In a switcher game, the player switches place onto adjacent game elements on the game board so that one or both of them create a chain of at least three adjacent game elements of the same type. Those matched game elements will then disappear. The game board is then repopulated with game objects.
One such known match three-type game is known by the trade name Candy Crush.
Another known match three-type game is known by the trade name Pet Rescue. Both of these can be played in Saga format. The Saga format is a format in which a plurality of levels of a game are arranged on a level a map. The level map may be divided into a plurality of episodes, each episode comprising a set of levels. A level selection screen may be displayed on the display of a user device, the level selection screen showing a set of levels for a user to play.
FIG. 1 illustrates a level selection screen 100 which is rendered on the display of a user terminal to a first player. The level selection screen 100 shows a set of levels, each of which is represented by a node, for example node 110. The level selection screen 100 is displayed with a particular theme. As can been seen from FIG. 1, in this case, the theme is New York. The player marker indicators 120 provide a count of star-shaped markers. Each star-shaped marker denotes the fact that the user has achieved a particular game objective in a particular game mode at that location. On the level selection screen 100, a player icon 130 is shown, indicating the game progress of the first user. When the first user starts the game, this icon 130 is shown at the node that is the furthest level along the game path that the user has not yet completed. Beyond this node 110 are a series of other nodes, e.g. node 150, which represent levels, which the first user has not yet unlocked, and hence cannot be played yet by the first user. On other hand, before the node 110 are a series of nodes, e.g. node 160, which represent levels, which the first user has played and completed. The first user may select one of these levels to play again. In response to user input associated with a node, the level associated with that node may be loaded for play by the first user. The user input associated with the first node may comprise a mouse click or touch screen input at the location of the relevant node.
Also shown on the level selection screen, are a series of identifiers or icons of other users, for example identifier 140. The position of this identifier 140 indicates the progress of the relevant user in the game. For example, the position of the identifier 140 may indicate the furthest level along in the progression path, which the relevant user has unlocked but not completed. Each of the identifiers displayed on the level selection screen 100 may be an identifier of a friend/social network contact of the first user. The terminal of the first user may be configured to receive the progress information of one or more of their friends who are participants in the game, and to display this information on the level selection screen 100, wherein the progress is indicated by the position of the identifier 140 along the level path.